1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser assembly having at least one semiconductor laser, which is developed to emit laser radiation through an exit area. The present invention also relates to a method for producing such a semiconductor laser assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Every laser reacts sensitively when it is struck by back reflections of its own wavelength. The back reflections come about by external optical components, for example. In the most favorable case, an increasing “noise” of the laser intensity is observed, and in the worst case the destruction of an exit area comes about, through which the generated laser radiation leaves the semiconductor laser, and when this happens, no further laser emission is possible.
The exit area (the facet) is destroyed if it becomes locally so hot that the material in the facet area decomposes and melts. In the case of GaAs (gallium arsenide) the melting point is approximately 1238° C., and thermal changes set in beginning at about 300° C. This means that a critical temperature has to be exceeded, which is in the range of about 300° C. to about 1238° C., before the facet is damaged. Because of the thermal changes of the material in the facet area beginning at 300° C., an especially strong absorption takes place there, and the melting temperature is reached within a very short time (<1 μs).